Retractable bomb rack



March 12, 1940.

c. N. MoNTElTH er -Al.

RETRAGTABLE BOMB RACK Filed Feb.' 12,1956

4 Sheets-'Sheet 1 MA A March l2, i940. c. N. MONTI-:ITM Er AL.

RETRACTABLE BOMB RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Charle N. Moncech Elloc G. EmeryJL Filed Feb. 12, 1936 Mamh 32, 94@ c. N. MONTEITH x-:T Al.

RETRCTABLE BOMB RACK 4 Sheets-Sheet 5' Filed Feb. 12, 1936 Mmh 12, 1940.

c. N. MONTEITH .Er A1.' 2,193,139

RE'RA'cTABL 39MB mex Filed Fei. v12.4936

Sheets-Sheet 4 Chareza` .NL Monteth -l G. Emery s1. a@ fm games nel?.ia, ie

arasnarran stars parar `rries RETRACTABLE BOR/EB RACIK/ Charles N.Monteith and Elliott G. Emery, llr.,

Seattle, Wash., assignors, by mesne assi su ments, to The PacinoNational Bank ol Seattle, Seattle, Wash., a national banking associationApplication February l2, 1936, Serial No. 63,582 is ons.V (cmsisi Thisinvention relates to armament installations in aircraft, andmore'particularly to airplane bomb racks. It is especially designed foruse in flying boats, but certain principles to be disclosed may be.employed to advantage in landtype airplanes. f vThe present inventiondoes not pertain to the immediate mechanism for supportingand releasingthe bombs, usually termed the bomb rack, l0 and the present inventionmay be used with any suitable bomb rack. A rack of any type known in theart may be employedwith and controlled byv this invention.

In a land-type airplane the bomb rack may be Y f 1 iixed within theaircraft structure-the fuselage, for exampld the'bombs may be droppedthrough anopening in the structure immediately below. Land planes arelimited as to size and carrying capacity by the size of and clear spacearound the eld, often temporary or improvised in war time, from whichthey operate, and in orderto obtain maximum range and carrying capacityit may Vbe necessary to employ flying boats, for they may nd ampletake-off space without previous preparation. In a ying boat it is notfeasible to drop the bombs through a bottom opening in the hull. Thebombs are large, and it is not practicable tomalse an opening in thebottom 0f `the hull through which t0 drop` bombs.V It is not desirable,`either, to supportthe bombs exteriorly-say, beneath the wing-as therethey create drag and reduce the speed of the airplane. is relates toiiying boats, therefore, it is a problem to make provision for carryingbombs .3,3 within the aircraft structure, preferably using a rack inwhich they may be supported one above another and from which they can bedropped directly, yet to avoid the necessity 'of leaving any opening inthe bottomthe planing surface-oi the hull.

This can be accomplishedfaccording vto the present invention, byprojecting the bomb rack laterally through an opening in the side of thehull, prior to release of the bombs therefrom.

While this requires Y'an opening in the hull of a size to pass thecomplete bomb rack, such opening can be wholly or largely abovethefwacer line, and in any event it does not interrupt the smooth bottomplaningsuriaccs. A y

Such an opening in the side of vthe hull, if left the bottom of thefuselage or wing of a landtype airplane of suicient size to permitdropping of bombs from a rack xed within, would create undesirable drag.It isk not new to provide .closfopen during normal flight, or indeed, ahole in able doors for openings in aircraft structures generally, anddoors can be used for the purpose of closing these openings, yet ineither instanceiiying boats or land-'type planes-it complicates theproblem of dropping the bombs, since safety dictates that means must beprovided to insure the doors are open sumciently that; the rack or.

the bombs thereon will not strike or otherwise interfere with the door.In addition, the doors must be prevented from closing before the rackhas been retracted.

Bombs are customarily discharged from such racks alternatively by one oftwo possible meansthe normalV selective release means whereby one bombis released at a time, and usually by electrical control, or'the salvorelease means whereby all bombs are released substantiallysimultaneously, and usually by a manual control. It follows that theaforesaid safety means must be so coupled to the selective release meansand to the salvo release means that neither of the latter 'will beoperative until, in either case, the doors are open, and where the bombrack is projectible, until the rack is fully projected. f

The objects of this invention are, therefore, to provide a constructioncapable of accomplishing the ends above. In addition, it is an object todevise such a construction which fulfills the requirements of minimumweight, adequate strength, and maximum reliability.

Other objects, and particularly such as pertain to mechanical andstructural details, will be understood as this speciiication progresses.K

Our invention comprises the novel arrangement and combination of thebomb rack with an' aircraft structure, and the novel combination andvarrangement of controls with the bomb rack and with other aircraftstructure, all as will appear in the accompanying drawings, in thisspecication, and in the claims at the end of the same.

In the accompanying drawings we have .illuspreferredby us, it beingunderstood that various changes may be made in the specic form of partsand controls, andin the combination and relav trated our invention in aform which is at present v V mi tive arrangement thereoi, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the hull of a nylug boat, shown in`dot-dash, lines, illustrating the doors open and the bomb rack readyto. be projected. i

Figure 2 is a transverse section on, the line 2--2 of Flgure l, showingthe rack projected into bombcdropping position, and Figure `3 sectionshowing the rack retracted.-

Figure 4 isan elevation, taken from 'the viewpointl of Figure 1, showingdetails of the rack locking mechanism, and Figure 5 is a section on line5I of Figure 4, illustrating a further detail of the same. A

' Figure 6 is'an'isometric diagram of the iluid' pressure controls,showing the controls for moving .the doors, the bomb rack lock, and thebomb rack itself.

. Figure '1 is adiatic illustration of the electrical and safetycontrols associated with the bomb rack and with the iiring orbomb-releasing devices. e

Figure 8 is a detail view illustrating the connection of certainbomb-releasing devices to the movable bomb rack, taken from theviewpoint olFlsure 1.

ing in this bottom, nor is it practicable to close suchI 'anopening'with doors. in such manner The bomb rack is generally indicatedby the numeral 9;. ythe one illustrated is known inthe art. although anysuitable type may be employed. The bombs are supported one aboveanotherl in this rack, dropping by' gravity from the rack as one or theother of the release mechanisms is actuated. Since the bottom of a'flying boat hull is a planing surface. and part of a displacement body,it is not practicable to leave an openthat the surface is completelyrestored. unbroken, and water-tight. Accordingly the bomb rack s iscarried in the hull of a flying boat, the top ofl which is indicated atH, and the bottom of which is indicated at h, and in the side of thehull there nism terminating in an'arm 94 splined to a.l shaft is formedan opening O which in most installations, though not strictlynecessarily. would be closed by a door or doors D and D. The opening asshown is ,entirelybelow ythe wing W. S

that the'bombs may be carried compactly close to the center ot gravityof the airplane. Itwill be understood'that normally two such bomb rackswould be-provided, one at each side of the hull. A detail, descriptionof the bombl rack is not believed to be necessary, other than; as shown,it comprises two uprights 90 Abetween which bombl shackles 9i arepivotally supported and upon which bomb sway braces 92 are likewisepivotally carried, the rack having associated with it two forms of bombreleasing mechanism, a selective release mechanism electricallycontrolled through the solenoid 93 to drop each single bomb insuccession with, each energization of the solenoid, am asalvoreleasemechanisrn whereby all bombs may be dropped' substantiallysimultaneously through the operation of manual mecha- Q and carricdbetween bracketsvs on one or both of the uprights 90 (see Figure 8).

y Each such rack is provided with a guide 81 extending transversely ofthe aircraft structure and carrying rollers 91 (see Figure 8) bearingupon I a track 98, 'wherebythe rack, with its bombs B, may be movedinwardly and outwardly trans- 4versely of the aircraft structure fromthe re tracted position `oi Figure'3 to the projectedV or bomb-droppingposition of Figure 2.

is a similar As anexample of suitable means to accomplish this movemento f the bomb rack there is illustrated the pressure cylinder i,preferably provided with two pistons it' and il'. the respective pistonrods Il and I I of which are each. connected to toggle links I2 and i3,at top and bottom respectively o! the bomb compartment. The

link'l2'is pivoted upon the aircraft structure.

as for example upon the partition P, and the link` i3 is pivotallyconnected to the bomb rack 9. Fluidconduits have been omitted except inthe diagrammatic showing of Figure 6, and electrical connections havebeen omitted except in the diagrammatic showing of Figure 'I/but :ltwill be understood that pressure iluld is'supplled to the vcylinder I,at its center, serving to .sep-V the cylinder, exhausting at the centeras shown in Figure 6, and as will be later described in detail. v

.In order to hold therack in its retracted posi? Ation until the timehas arrived to permit Vit to be projected, suitable locking meansareprovided.

Thusin Figures 4' and 5 are shown spring-held locking dogs 2l, pivotedat 2l' at the inner end of the bomb compartment, at top and bottomthereof. These are positioned to engage a cross member l! of the bombrack, and thus to hold the bomb vrapkagainst projection until the locks2| are released.` To accomplish this release we' have illustrated acylinder 2 having a piston 22 (Figure 6), the pistonm'd 22 of which issuitrelease. 'I hus in Figure 4 the piston rod 2,2 is connected to alever 23 pivoted at a` fixed point within the bomb compartment at 24,and Vconnectlng by links 25 to the upper and lower dogs 2i. Movement ofthe piston rod 22 from the full line to the dash line positlonof Figure4 accomplishes release of the lockingdogs 2 I. The connections to thepressure cylinder 2 are illustrated only inthe diagrammatic showingofrli'ig-l ure 6,. The'cross bar l0 oi the rack is beveled ablyconnected to the dogs 2i to accomplish their so that it willautomatically reengage with the locking dogs 2i, the latter having beendropped from their releasing position, above the level of the Vcrossbar, prior to or at the -time when.

the rack1 returns to its retracted position, by an arrangement whichwill bedescribed later.

VThe doors D and D' are also preferably controlled by a pressurecylinder 3, supported at one end, asindicated at 3l. upon the aircraftstruc- Y ture, and having a piston 3i' with its piston rod 3i connectedto the short arm 22 of a lever pivoted at 33 withinv the aircraftstructure. The

' 'long arm M oi' this lever is connected to the door D. With the ldoorclosed, the lever arm 34 stands 'in the dot-dash position of Figure l,and upon projection o f the plunger 3i this arm is swung to the dottedline position of that gure wherein the door is open, rollers- I8 guidingit along tracks 3E.' Where a companion door is also` to be moved. suchas the door D'. this may be provided with a lever 34. and4 the leverarms 34 .and il may be connected by an endless 'cable 31 connected toeach and extending over suitthat opening movement'oi' the door D ac'comable guide pulleys-as 4illustrated in Figure l,` so

atenten in the arrangement shown, though it will be obvious that byconnecting the cable at dierent idistances along the arms M and tt' adifferential movement of the doors may be accomplished, A

if desired. Thus the movement of both doors is accomplished through themedium of the pressure cylinder 4 As has been pointed outthe rack mustnot be Apermitted to move from the retracted position of Figure v3 untilthe doors have fully opened, nor mustl the doors start to close untilthe rack is fully retracted, and looked in place; T o accomplish theseends the several pressure cylinders i, 2 and it are interconnectedthrough'controis to be described, so that they can only operate in thesequence indicated. Such controls are indicated in Figure 6, and in thisgure, in order to illustrate the projectingand the retractingoperaticns, the pressure systems and controls for the two sides, thatis, for the two racks, one on 4each side-of theaircrafhhave been shown,the

one in the projecting position, the other inthe 'retracting position,although in actual operationit is intended that both racks shailbeprojected at one time, and both shall be retracted at one time. 'Inecontrols at the upper part of Figure 1 6 are shown in theretractedposition at the ini- Atiation of the projecting action, whichis carried.

through automatically, and the controls in the lower part of the gureare shown in the projected position, with the controls set forinitiation of the retracting action; whichv also is carried throughautomatically in sequence.

Pressure is produced in the pressure system, including the cylinders i,2and El, in any suitable way, as by a pump l driven 'by a motor d@ todraw a liquid, as oil, from a reservoir di to deliver it past a reliefvalve di), and thence into the pressure system. Before describing thissystem, however, it may be pointed out that a separate pump maybeprovided foreach bomb rack, that is, for the bomb rack on each side ofvthe aircraft, and that the operations of projection and retraction arecontrolled by suitable means, such as the. handle i3 shiftable. from aneutral or o position to `either aV retracted position or tov anextended or projected position. In the arrangement shown, a link lil ismovable by the handle d3, and through an arm l5 controls a rock shaft itcarrying a plurality of valve bodies. The link it or s ome equivalentpart of the control system car'- ries a cam All by means of which aswitch d8 or positions of the handle d3, and when the handle is ineither one of these two latter positions the motors it are energizedthrough a suitable circuitas shown, connecting them to a battery orother source of current, and driving the pump l only at such times; A l

-On the rock shaft dit are valve bodies 5l, 52, 53 and 5d, having theports in them as indicatedk in Figure 6, lin association with thepassages indicated. It is believed that it will not be necessary todescribe these passages in detail, and that the invention will be betterunderstood by following out the operations of projection and retractionof the rack. L

Referring nrst tothe upper part of Figure 6, Ywherein they rack isretracted and lockedinsuch position and the doors' are closed, but thevalves are set to initiate theprojecting operationuid from the pump lpasses nrst through a port in being open" through the valve -5 i`permitted to return from the valve 5l through the and only after it hasmoved a suihcient distanceto uncovera port leading to conduit 39 doesthe piston stop, this movement of the piston accomplishingopening of thedoor.- The fluid `from the pump is now permitted to flow through theuncovered port, through conduit 39 and through the valve body 52 througha conduit 26 connected to the lock cylinder 2, upon entering which theuid forces the piston 22' to the left a sumcient distance to unlock thelocks 2i whereupon a port leading to conduit 2l is uncovered leading tothe center of the rack'cylinder i. in this .cylinder the fluid forcesthe pistons it' and li' apart until they uncover ports leading to aconduit lil having two branches i5 and it, the branch iti".

being closed at the valve 5&3 and the branch l5 'Ill'ie ucl is conduitd@ to the reservoir di, whence it may b returned to the pump asrequired.

It will be noted that there is connectedy to the cylinder 3 a conduit 55connected to the valve 5i, but inV the position of valves in the upperpart of'Figure 6 this conduit is closed on?, and

no uid may` iiow therethrough. It will also be noted that the conduit 2dhas a. branch 28 leading to the valve tl, but this is closed at thevalve,

hence no fluid may ow'therethrough. There is also connected to thecylinder i a conduit il connecting to the valve El, but this conduit isclosed at the/ valve.

thence through the conduitv i6, and, the branch l5 being closed at thevalve 5l, through the con- .'duit ld to the outer ends of the pistonslll' and ii' in the rack cylinder i so that the rst action is to, pushthese pistons together, thereby retracting the rack. Fluid which wasbetween the plungers id and ll'leaves through two conduits, 2l and il.That leaving by conduit 2l enters lock cylinder 2 on the left hand sidecf piston az' because the pressure on the right handl side of thispiston has been -relieved through conduits 2d` and 23 and valve body 5t,into conduit t9 'and i thence into reservoir di, allowing the spring 2@to move the piston E2 past the port opening tol ward the lockedposition. The uid therefore forces piston 22' to' th'e right into .thelocked position. The iiuid leaving the cylinder l through the conduitlll goes through thevalve. 5l, thence through the conduit to the lefthand end of the door cylinder 3, moving the pistons! to the right ortoward closed position. l'luid at they right hand side oi' the piston3l' cannotleave by theconduit 3 as this is closed at the valve 52, butleaves through the conduit 33, and

thence to the reservoir di. Thus it will be seen that there isaccomplished in sequence the complete 'retraction of the rackaccompanied by movement of the lock toward locked position, and then therclosure o'A the doors. It is immaterial that the lock mayv reach itslocked position before'the rack isrfully retracted, yas the locking dog2l may ridevupon the beveled. mem- -ber 99 as the, rack reaches itsretracted position,

through the valve 52 back to the conduit G9 andy 5 5 several cylinders,and the location of their ports.

are so proportioned'and arranged to accomplish VV5 the operations in the-sequences given, and to prevent their operation in any other seauence.

VIf the control handle I J should not be moved to the oif" positionimmediately uponcompletion of the retracting or projecting movement 10.no harm 'will .occur, as pressure developed by the pump 4 will berelieved through the valve.

42 end by-passed beck to the intake side of the pumpthrough the by-passI9. Furthermore, continued circulation'of the fluid through the 41liseveral eylinders wuronly serve to' hold :parte in the positions towhich they have Ibeen moved. As has already been explained, bombs. arereleased from such racks in one of ltwo ways,

either by salvo release, which is preferably ac' complished by manualconnections to release all bombs substantially` simultaneously, or bylse' ective release of one bomb at a time, a. bomb being released uponeach pressure'of an electrical vfiring key. The latter is, of course,the

f normal manner of release of the bombs, but it is necessary toprovldefor salvo release for tactical or emergency reasons. It becomesnecessary, therefore, to provide against release of' bombs either in theselective manner or by salvo unless and until the bomb rack isJinitsfully projected position, which further implies j that the doors 'mustbe open, andin this connection it may be noted that if the bomb rack fisof the type which is xed within the. aircraft which opening is normallyclosed by a door, these controls and safety devicesl may be so arrangedthat a bomb cannot be dropped until the door is open, asis implied ifthe door must open n before the bomb rack-is projected and the bomb cannot be dropped until the rack is'projected.

Referring to `Flgure f1, 'two bomb racks are indicated d iagrammaticallyat 9, representing the bomb racks at each side of the aircraft. Assosv4,5 ciated witheach of these is a solenoid I3 which represents theselective release mechanism. An a'rnf 94" is also .shown associated witheach rack andsplined tothe shaft Sl', as 'previously described, theshaft extending parallel to the path so/ of' movement of Athe associatedbomb rack, -and this represents the salvo release'` mechanism. The armSI is suitably connected to salvof release mechanism on the bomb rack,which per se is not` part-of this invention, and therefore need not 'beillustrated. Control ofthe manner of v release and of the bomb rackvgenerally.. except as. to its movement between extended andretractedpositions, is suitably accomplished b'y a 'control handle.,which is movable from a locked- 50 to a selective and then to a'salvposition. The

f selective position of parts is shown in dash lines.'

and 4the vsalvo position .in dotted lines. This control handle 6 isconnected through a linkh II and a bell crankllto a slide l2, which inturn is connected through bell cranks links Il; and arms l5; the latterfixed on therespective shafts 95, to the salv release echanism on theindividual bomb racks. Thoug vthe arms l5 and '94 are moved from thelocked posltioi'z to the selective position,'salvo release is notIaccomplished,. nor lis lvo release acbmplished during movement fro theselective to the salvo position, nor until parts nally'reach the salvoposition. 1 75 Accordingly, to prevent salvo release of the to ,dropbombs through'an opening below it.Y

'pin II 'adapted to be positioned between two stop shoulders 01 and Ilon the slide 62, and releasable by a solenoid 1 under certainconditions. 'Ihe stop pin Il lies in the path of movemehr of theshoulder of as it moves from locked to selective position, and as itmoves from selective to salvo position, engasins the shoulder vl] priorto the vlatter reaching the final salvo position, so that salvo releaseis prevented un- `til the stop pin- 88 has been withdrawn byenersization of the s olenoid 1. The solenoid 1 is connected 'in acircuit which includes the normally open switch 1l, which is adapted tobe closed by a cam I9 on the slide .I2 by movement ofthe slide past theselective position and towards the/salvo release position. Closure: ofthe switch. 1l, hdwever, will not alone eect salvo releaseof the bombs,but the solenoid 1 is also in circuit with two normally open switchesthe respective bomb racks l. to be 611838011 by fa. cam. on eachbombrack only as thebomb rack reaches 'its projected' or bomb-droppingposition. 'It follows, then, that the two switches 1I must both beclosed; and the switch-10 must also be closed. before the bombs can besalvoreleafsed. which insures that the bomb racks will beinbomb-dropping position before salvo release )can be accomplished, andthat the control handle l can not be moved into the salvo-releasedposition unlcssand lmtil' the bomb racks arein the bomb-droppingposition (which implies rthat the doors must also be open), suchmovement being -interdicted by the rstop pin engaging the -st'opshoulder-'W1 prior 'to movement of parts into the salvo releaseposition.

Th rilrg key is indicated at 8. This is for normal or selective releaseof bombs from the racks. one at a time. Preferably bombsare releasedrstl from one rack, when that rack the doors be opened arid the bombmehry fully projected, before selectite frelease is permitted. It isalso n that thecontrol handle l be in the selective position. Io theseends we provide a safety switch 8l in -circuit'with the firing key-0,which-is closed by a cam Il on the link Il when this link and thecontrol handle are in the selective pomtion, but not other- 1 The samecircuit includes one orthe other of the solenoids It, the particular oneselected being controlled by a switch l! and the switches 1|, previouslyreferred to. While the solenoid 1 isconnected to the switches 1I it isnot part of the firing key circuit for the reason that with parts in theselective. position the switch 10 remains Aopen and -no current cantherefore pasa .through the solenoid 1.1 t It now becomesevidentthat thefiring key may beA pressed with parts in 'the locked position.,

release-'ofbombswhen the bomb racks are fully 75 69 close the door, apressure cylinder to release the i lock, and a pressure cylinder toproject the bomb rack vtlirough'the opening into bomb-dropping anneeprojected and the control handle is, in addition, in the properselective position. Since the bomb racks must be fully projected itfollows that the doors must have been opened, and indeed, 'if the bombracks are of the xed type and not projectible, the switches li may bearranged to be closed by the completion of the opening movement oi.doors, so that in such an installation the selective release of bombs isinterdicted until the doors are opened.

Since the operation ofthe several parts and systems has been describedin connection with each one, it is believed that it is not necessary togive any further detailed description of the operation ofthis-invention. Whenever it is desired to release bombs, thecontrol'handie i3 is moved rorn,y the oi position to the extendedposition, accomplishing in sequence, and without further attention,opening of the doors, release of` the locks 2i, and projection or" thetwo racks S. The racks are now ready to release bombs, and the controlhandle t is now moved from the locked position to the selective orbeyond to the salvo position. If it moves to the salvo position thebombs'are immediately released from both racks at once, and all bombssubstantially simultaneously. Ii the control handle t is left in theselective position, in order to accomplish release of bombs it isnecessary to press the ring key i3, and for each closure of the circuitthrough the ring key a bomb is released fromone rack. Upon droppingallthe bombs from one rack the switch ,d2 may be thrown, and thismay bedone ually or automatically, as is known in the art, whereupon uponfurther pressure on' the nring khey bombs are released one by one fromthe opposite rack. When all bombs have been droppedthat it is desired todrop, or 4the raclr are emptied, the control handle 631s moved to theretracting positionand, in order, the racks are retracted, are 'lockedin place, and the doors are-closed, restoring the general streamlinesurface of the aircraft structure.

In `order-to enable `the several operations, as

1. In combination with an airplane structure having an opening therein,a door normally closing said opening, a bomb rack supportedin normallyretracted position within said structure, a

lock normally holding the bomb. rack in such,

retracted position, a pressure cylinder to open and position, and toretract it from such position, and a pressure circuit including control`valves interconnecting the several pressure cylinders in series foradmission of pressure iiuid thereto successively to enforce theiroperation in the-sequence of opening the door, releasing the lock, andprojecting the rack.

2. In combination with an airplaneV structure having an opening therein,a door normally closing said opening, a bomb rack supported in normallyretracted position within said structure, a loch normally holding the anrack in such reposition,

tracted position, a pressure cylinder to open and close the door, apressure cylinder to release the lock, and a pressure cylinder toproject the bomb rack through, the opening: into bomb-dropping position,to retract it from such position, and a,

cylinders in series for admission of pressure uid thereto successively,and control valve operating means to regulatethe series order ofconnection of said pressure cylinders in the pressure circuit,

Jsimultaneous movement'from a position wherein the pressure cylindersare connected in a series to receive the pressure uid to enforce theiroperation in-the sequence of opening the door, releasing the lock,and'projecting the rack, intoa position to interconnect the severalpressure cylinders in a series to receive the pressure iiuid to enforcetheir operation in the sequence of retracting the rack and closing thedoor, the lock being reengaged following retraction of the rack..

' 3. -In combination with a bomb rack and means guiding the same formovement into and from a' bomb-dropping position, bomb releasing meansand Ainterengaging all said ycontrol valves for ,including an armmounted on and movable with Y including an arm mounted on and movablewith the rack, a shaft parallel to the direction of movement ot, therack, lengthwise of which shaft the arm is slidabie, and whereon it isnon-rotatively secured, means operable from a distant point'for rockingsaid shaft, and means interdict- -ing rocking the shaft for release oabomb until the rack has reached bomb-dropping position.

5. In combination with a bomb rack and means guiding the sameiormovement into and from a bomb-dropping position, bomb releasing meansincluding an arm mounted on and movable with4 the rack, a. shaftparallel tothe` direnon of movement of the rack, whereon the arm isyslidable lengthwise, but relatively non-rotatively, means loperable froma distant point for rocking said shaft vand including a stop shouldershiftable as the shaft is rocked, asolenoidreleased stoppin engageablewith said shoulder, a switch in the circuit of said'solenoid, andmeans'carried by the rack and engageable with said switch to' close thecircuit and permit rocking of the shaft, only when 'the rack reaches itsbomb-dropping position'.

6. In combination with a bomb rack and means guiding the same formovement into and-from a bomb-dropping position, bomb releasing meansincluding a member operatively connected to and distant from the rackand shiftable from an inoperative to a bomb-releasing position, means tointerdict shifting of said-member into bomb-releasing position, andmeans controlled by the rack, as the latter reaches its bomb-droppingposition, to release said shiftable member for movement intobomb-releasing position, at will. 7. In combination witha bomb rack andmeans guiding the same into and from a bomb-dropping salvo releasingmeansv including a selector device independent of the rack and shiftablefrom-a selective to a salvo release position, and bomb release means onthe rack operatively connected thereto, means inthe pathl of move-` mentof the selector device to interdict its move'- 75 able only as theselector device moves ,between selective and salvo positions,- andanother switch in said'clrcuit closable only when the rack is in itsbomb-dropping position, whereby bombs may be salvo-released only whenthe bomb rack is in bomb-dropping position and the selector device isalso moved to salvo release position.

8. In combinationwith a bomb rack and means guiding the same iormovement into and from a bomb-dropping position,v a ring memberoperatively connected to the rack, manual safety means shiftable to andfrom a selective tiring position, in which a bomb may bereleased, andmeans controlled by the safety means to render the ring memberinoperative to release a bomb except when such safetymeans' have beenmanually shifted to the selective position, and further safety meanscontrolled vby the rack to render the ming-member inoperative exceptwhenthe Araclr is in its bomb-dropping position, regardless of theposition of said means.

9. In combination with a bomb rack and means manually shiftable safetyguiding the same for movement into and from a bomb-dropping position, anelectrical circuit including bomb-releasing means mounted upon the rack,a ilring key in said circuit, a selector means movable into and from aselective position, in which a bomb may be released, a switch in saidcircuit closable by the selector means only when the latteris inselective position, and another switch in said circuit closable onlywhen the rack is in ts bomb-dropping position, whereby a bomb mayreleased by the ilring'` key only when the selector means is inselective'position and the rack is also in bomb-dropping position.

10. In combination with an airplane structure having an opening therein,a bomb rack mounted in the airplane structure adjacent theopening, adoor normally. closing the opening, bomb-releasing means including aselector device shiftable from a selective position to a salvo releaseposition, bomb release means on the rack operatively connected thereto,vmeans in the path of movement of the selector device to interdlct suchmovement into salvo release position, an electrical circuit including asolenoid for the release. of said interdicting means, aswitch in saidcircuit closable only as the selector device moves between w selectiveand salvo positions, and another switch in said circuit closable onlyafter the door has vreached its open position, whereby bombs may besalvo-released 'only when the door is in open position and the selectordevice is release position.,

also moved to salvo ymeans reciprocable in a direction/generallyv per-11. In combination with an airplane structure having an opening therein,a bomb rack mounted in the airplane structure ,adjacent the opening, adoor normally closing the opening, an electrical f circuit includingbomb-releasing means mounted upon ,the rack,'a nring key in saidcireuit,.a selector means movable into and from a selective position.-in which a bomb may be released, a switch in said circuit closable bythe-selector means only` when the latterl is in selective position. andanother switch in said circuit closable only after the door has beenmoved to openposition, whereby a bomb maybe released by the tiring keyvonly when the selector means'is in selective position and the door` isalso open.'

12. In combination with an airplane structure having an opening in awall thereof, a bomb rac; receivablewith a bomb supported thereby in 'a'retracted position within the airplane structure,

means\guiding said bomb rack for reciprocation lbetween its retractedposition and a'projected position with the bonb projected through thewall opening beyond the outer surface of the wall,

pendicular to the wall opening engaaing said rack 2:5` to effect suchreclprocation thereof, a lock normally operable .to hold said bomb rackin its re tracted position but releasable for movement of the rack bysaid reciprocable means, a door normally closing the wall opening, dooropening means, and control means for said lock inoperable to releaselthe lock for movement of the bomb rack priorto operation ofsaid dooropening means to move the door to uncover the wall opening.

13. In combination with an airplane structure having a side wallapertured substantially conterminous with a shallow cavity adjacent tosuch wall, a substantially planar upright frame adapted to suspend atier of bombs from one side thereof out of contact with the airplanestructure, and within such cavity between such frame.

and the apertured side .wa1l,' track'memberssecured to the .airplanestructure at topand bottom of the cavity, and disposed perpendicular tothe side wall aperture. rollers carried by said frame and engaging saidtracks Vto guide the frame for horizontal movement to project the tierof bombs through the side wall aperture to a position projectinggbeyondtheouter surface o'f the wall, actuating means operable to move saidtrame alongthe tracks, two bomb releasing means operable when the rackis thus projected, one for salvorelease oi' all bombs. and one forselective release of single bombs, and means to interdict release offanybomb, by either such re- 55 leasing means, until the rack' is i'ullyprojected.

' N. MONTEITH.

EILIO'IT G. EMEBY, Jl;

